Logan Grimnar
Logan Grimnar, venerable Chapter Master of the Space Wolves]] Logan Grimnar is the Chapter Master of the Space Wolves Space Marines Chapter. He is one of the most belligerent and headstrong Chapter Masters in the Imperium of Man, as well as perhaps the greatest Wolf Lord of all time. He remains loyal to the Emperor of Mankind and the great Primarch of the Space Wolves, Leman Russ. Grimnar has been the Chapter Master of the Space Wolves for over 700 standard years and is one of the oldest Chapter Masters of a Loyalist Space Marine Chapter. Like his fellow Space Marines, Grimnar is a fearsome warrior with great martial pride. He has led his Great Company against many enemies of the Imperium and has shown a renowned thirst for battle, which some say, even rivals that of their legendary Primarch Leman Russ. Logan, or the "Old Wolf" as he is known by his brethren, is an extremely powerful warrior who will always fight to the end in pursuit of what he believes in; both in the name of the Emperor and for the lives of his beloved Space Wolves. Grimnar is believed by some observers to be one of the most powerful warriors in the Imperium, greater even than other Space Marine Chapter Masters such as Lord Commander Dante of the Blood Angels, Supreme Grand Master Azrael of the Dark Angels, and even Lord Marneus Calgar of the feared Ultramarines. Grimnar accepts no interference in the running of his Chapter by the Imperium's other authorities, including the Inquisition. Indeed, the Space Wolves have had numerous clashes with the Ecclesiarchy and this has lead to accusations of heresy and treason against the Chapter. In his seven hundred year reign he has led the Space Wolves to many victories, crushing the enemies of the Imperium without hesitation. As a result of this, many Imperial Commanders across the Imperium are grateful to be under the Old Wolf's watchful eye. Logan Grimnar is a rarity amongst the Space Marine Chapter Masters, for he is more respected and loved by the commoners of the Imperium than he is feared, as he possesses an uncompromising compassion towards the weak that rivals that of the Emperor himself. Grimnar was the only Space Marine leader, with the exception of the Salamanders, to speak out against the Imperium's cull of the civilians who survived the First War for Armageddon, whom the Inquisition deemed too corrupt to live for having seen the Forces of Chaos and learned of the existence of both the Ruinous Powers and daemonic Chaos sorcery. Grimnar's hatred for the Inquisition has been forever cemented since those innocent citizens of the Imperium were unceremoniously sterilized and scattered into forced labour camps to reconstruct Armageddon, for a new group of colonists brought by the Inquisition to re-settle the Hive World . Since that conflict, the Space Wolves have waged many bloody wars to protect the innocent victims of Chaos. History Chapter in battle]] When Logan Grimnar was young the Sky Warriors saw the seeds of greatness within him. Since then he has proven himself fearless in battle, wise in counsel and tempered of spirit. Not since the time of Leman Russ has the Chapter known such a leader –- the Wolf Lord's ascension to Chapter Master seemed to be blessed by the great Primarch himself. He is a figure of awe, not just upon Fenris but across the breadth of humanity's domain. To say Logan is popular is to say the stars in the sky are plentiful. He is the warrior king of the Space Wolves, a wise and cunning leader of men whose adulation borders upon worship on many Imperial worlds. The Old Wolf inspires such unshakeable loyalty that he has led the Sons of Russ into unimaginable terrors and emerged with victory grasped firmly in his claws. Under Grimnar's command, men become heroes and heroes become legends. Great Wolf Logan Grimnar has ruled the Space Wolves Chapter for over five hundred years, and has claimed countless great victories during his reign. He is a hero like no other, renowned across the Imperium as both saviour and warrior-king. He has led the Sons of Russ in countless battles, changing the course of history time and again with his deeds. As the final bloody days of the 41st Millennium come to an end, Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf, sits upon his throne on Fenris and prepares for the Wolftime. A scarred veteran of a thousand campaigns, Logan is amongst the oldest of the Imperium's warlords, having lived for over seven centuries. However, despite the weight of years that rests upon his broad shoulders, he remains vital and determined. Like an old, long-fanged Thunderwolf, Grimnar is a dangerous and cunning foe. The Space Wolves follow Logan not just out of duty, but because they idolize him. Few Chapter Masters can be said to be held in such towering esteem as Logan Grimnar. His is an authority and charisma that transcends that of common generals and warlords, and none that have met his gaze can deny that they stand in the presence of a true leader. High King of Fenris Logan Grimnar, known as the "Old Wolf," "Fangfather," and the High King of Fenris, epitomises the noble fury of his people. The length of Logan Grimnar's reign and the success of the Space Wolves during this time speak to the force of leadership and talent for war that Grimnar possesses. Few generals can match the raw charisma possessed by Logan Grimnar; though some may have to work hard to earn the respect of their men, to the Great Wolf this is something that comes naturally. Logan has won the approval of his Space Wolves through his deeds and his words. On the field of battle the Old Wolf leads by example, always the first to charge into the fray. The Space Wolves are drawn from the warrior tribes of Fenris, a frozen and inhospitable world of vast oceans and slavering predators. In many ways the structure of the Space Wolves Chapter mirrors the tribal origins of its battle-brothers. Logan Grimnar is seen not just as a military commander but also as a great clan leader or longship captain –- positions of revered power on the world of Fenris. This recognition brings with it many ancient responsibilities, such as constantly having to prove his right to lead, through both skill at arms and his leadership in battle. Logan Grimnar is not Chapter Master of the Space Wolves by virtue of inheritance; he has earned the right through strength, courage, wisdom and honour. A warrior born, Logan fought his way through the ranks of the Space Wolves under the watchful eye of the venerable Wolf Priest Ulrik the Slayer. Despite the fact that Logan has seen seven hundred years of warfare, to this day Ulrik calls Logan "young Grimnar," and it is a sign of of his friendly deameanour that Logan allows this to pass without comment. Unlike the aloof and insular lords of other Astartes Chapters, Logan is charismatic and likeable in the extreme, as apt to reward his men with a hearty slap on the back and a tankard of strong Fenrisian mead as with an official commendation. The King of Fenris respects those who fight, drink and eat with him, and few besides. Clad in his ornate Terminator Armour, Grimnar towers over all save his mighty champion, Arjac Rockfist. His beard is long and his fangs full, yet age has not made him weary. Logan's armour is wreathed with the pelt of the infamous Thunderwolf, Fellclaw, its gilded skull acting as a crown above his head. Fellclaw once terrorised the northern plains of Asaheim, which dwell in the shadow of Fangard Mountain. Logan took it upon himself to hunt the deadly creature and tracked it to its lair. Alone, naked and unarmed, Logan fought his quarry on even terms, eventually biting out the Thunderwolf's throat with his fangs after a hard-fought struggle. Seeking shelter from a fierce icestorm, Logan came upon the beast's lair, and there found two lone wolf cubs. It was clear that Fellclaw's ferocity had, in part, been due to a paternal instinct to protect its young. Unwilling to leave them to their fate, Logan gathered up the young cubs in Fellclaw's pelt and returned to The Fang. The pair eventually grew into powerful Thunderwolves, fiercely loyal to their master, and have remained at his side for more than five hundred Terran years. Though Logan has won countless victories, it is not just against the enemies of the Imperium that he has waged his wars. He has willingly, some would say joyfully, led his forces into battle against Imperial institutions whose agendas and actions he deemed threatening to those within his sprawling domain. This has led to many accusations of rebellion, heresy and treason being levelled at Logan and his Chapter, along with the usual rumours of genetic deviancy. The fact that the Old Wolf is so ready to meet his detractors on the field of battle is undeniably one of the reasons why these allegations are not taken further -- the senior Adepts of the Administratum know from experience that it is better to have the Space Wolves as allies than as enemies. Nevertheless, no matter how unorthodox his methods, none can deny that Logan Grimnar is one of the most successful of all humanity's commanders, a true champion of the Imperium and an inspiration to man and Adeptus Astartes alike. The Old Wolf Logan Grimnar's face is lined with the scars of an age of war. His long white beard and grey braids tell a tale of an ancient warrior lord who has spent many lifetimes fighting across the Sea of Stars. Those that look into his golden eyes cannot doubt the cunning and iron will that lurk there, and despite centuries of battle Logan Grimnar remains a peerless and redoubtable warlord. In his time the Old Wolf has made war in every segmentum in the galaxy, against almost every foe known to Mankind. Under the cursed stars of the Eye of Terror he has fought Daemons and renegades, while in the ancient alien ruins of remote worlds he has brought doom to the Eldar and their dark kin. On planets burning out of control he has put down Ork WAAAGH!s, and amid the madness of Tyranid invasions he has crushed the broods of the Hive Mind. Wherever the foes of the Imperium rise up to wreak havoc, the axe of the Old Wolf falls. Many times has Logan Grimnar led the Imperium to victory when all had seemed lost. During the First War for Armageddon he commanded his Space Wolves against the ravening Chaos hordes of Angron and orchestrated the defeat of the Daemon Primarch of Khorne. On Eros Kyn, the Great Wolf alone held the Heaven Gate with the corpses of his kills piled ten deep around him, while on Midgardia he held back the implacable advance of the Necron legions. Hefting the Axe Morkai, Logan Grimnar gathers the Space Wolves for war, and as one great pack they howl their defiance into the void. The Shadow of Russ Logan Grimnar's home world of Fenris is a planet that spends most of its solar year gripped by ice and snow. Once each cycle Fenris draws close to its star, the Wolf’s Eye. Its frozen seas thaw, its mantle breaks and boiling magma bleeds out from the heart of the world. In this time the planet is remade anew, its human tribes setting off in their longboats to find new homes so that they might survive for another year. From this harsh and brutal environment the Space Wolves recruit their battle-brothers. Logan once lived among the Fenrisians, a young warrior of the Iron Blood tribe. Even in his early years the future Wolf Lord made a name for himself among the Fenrisians as a fearless fighter and bold salior. However, it was not until a fateful battle on the Sea of Blades that the eyes of the Sky Warriors fell upon him and his destiny was changed forever. Sea of Blades Land is life on Fenris, and only those tribes that can find a place to beach their longships for the long winter to come have a chance to survive. Land is also scarce, and a tribe must be willing to fight for what it finds, lest another take it from them. Sometimes massive landmasses will rise up out of the sea, bringing with them treasure-filled ruins and precious materials for the forging of weapons and the construction of ships. In these times many tribes will fight for dominance of these rare prizes and the sea will become filled with longships. When the Kraken’s Spur rose up from the Boiling Ocean Logan sailed with the Iron Blood tribe, and their allies the Tide Hounds, to its shores. With strength of arm and ruthless cunning he fought against the Sea Devil and Ice Fang tribes, staining the smoking rocks of the Spur bright with their blood. In the ruins of the Temple of Morkai, Logan's crew were ambushed by the leader of the Sea Devils, Thorgil Icetooth, and his Kraken Guard. In a matter of minutes the once-silent halls of the temple echoed with the sounds of battle. Thorgil and his hulking reavers overwhelmed the Iron Bloods until Logan alone, a gore-spattered axe in either hand, stood atop the altar to Morkai. From high above the ruins, a Wolf Priest watched the combat unfold. For days the priest had followed the exploits of the young warrior as his crew fought in a series of daring and masterful raids against his foes. Now he stood witness as Logan fought off a dozen Fenrisian tribesmen, his axes a blur of crimson movement as they opened throats and hacked off limbs. Finally, Thorgil himself challenged Logan, and the two warriors clashed over the piled corpses of their crews. As Logan buried his axe in Thorgil's skull, the Wolf Priest could have sworn he saw the shadow of a hulking power-armoured giant with a flowing mane of hair rising up behind the victorious tribesman. Uttering a prayer to the Emperor, the priest knew then that the Allfather blessed this youth. When Iron Blood scouts found the ruins of the temple they discovered only the tangled bodies of Thorgil and his men, but no sign of Logan. In The Footsteps of Russ The Wolf Priest was not the only one to see the greatness of Russ within the young Logan Grimnar. A warrior named Ulrik would remain close to the recruit, constantly testing him and seeing if he was indeed worthy of the wyrd his mentor perceived about him. The first hints of this greatness came during the Trial of Morkai, when Logan slew the ice troll Frostblood, a dread beast that had killed dozens of the Chapter's recruits. In a cave filled with the remains of Fenrisian warriors, Logan jammed a broken bone into Frostblood's eye, howling his rage into the beast’s face even as its fangs savaged his arm. The Canis Helix bonded with Logan as though he had been born to become a Space Marine, and in time the young warrior was inducted into Asvald Stormwrack's Great Company as a Blood Claw. Logan proved his skill and valour repeatedly in wars across the Sea of Stars, taking to the life of a Sky Warrior as easily as if he had been sailing the seas of Fenris. However, what made the future Wolf Lord stand out from his brothers was not just his bravery or his cunning, but the boundless charisma he wielded like a weapon. His easy grin and ready jests earned him the trust of everyone he met, even the old and cynical Long Fangs of the company, who grudgingly admitted they had warmed to the whelp. After over a century of war and unparalleled heroism, Logan Grimnar had risen to earn a place among Asvald's Wolf Guard, often keeping the counsel of the Wolf Lord and always close to his side. As always, the Wolf Priests kept close watch on Grimnar, and Ulrik taught the young warrior all there was to know about the traditions and history of the Chapter. When Asvald finally fell in battle before the Cyclopean Rift, Logan Grimnar was elected Wolf Lord in his place by unanimous assent of his fellow Wolf Guard. First War for Armageddon Logan Grimnar leads his Space Wolves against the Forces of Chaos during the war on Armageddon]] ]] on Armageddon]] Favoured by the Chapter and with the shadow of greatness upon him it was only a matter of time before Logan Grimnar ascended to the rank of Great Wolf. Few Space Wolf battle-brothers had ever seen a warrior as skilled or a general so gifted as Grimnar, and all who stood in his presence could not help but be swayed by his rich booming voice. As the priest had foreseen; Grimnar was like a hero of old, elevating the Chapter to new heights of greatness. Logan Grimnar's first great test as Chapter Master was to be upon the war-torn world of Armageddon in a conflict known as the First War for Armageddon. An industrial hub for over a hundred systems, the hive world was a lynchpin munitions planet for the Imperium. The Forces of Chaos were comprised of millions of Chaos Cultists known as the Children of Sanguinary Unholiness, as well as the Khornate army of Chaos Space Marines from the brutal World Eaters Traitor Legion which were led by the Daemon Primarch Angron and his elite guard of 12 Khornate daemons, the Cruor Praetoria. Angron struck Armageddon in 444.M41, leaving a trail of blood and death in his wake as he stormed out of the Eye of Terror. In the first terrible days of the invasion Angron and his chaotic hosts ravaged the world's hive cities. The Astra Militarum's Steel Legion of Armageddon fought valiantly and with great determination but they were as men before vengeful demi-gods, and the fields of battle were soon littered with their broken and bloody corpses. The World Eaters would have turned the entire planet into an abattoir dedicated to their dark god had it not been for the intervention of the Space Wolves. Answering the call of the imperilled world, Logan Grimnar led the entire Chapter to Armageddon. The Inquisition, along with a force of Space Marines of the mysterious Grey Knights Chapter also became involved when the nature of the enemy was revealed: millions of Chaos Cultists known as the Children of Sanguinary Unholiness, and a Khornate army of Chaos Space Marines from the World Eaters Traitor Legion led by their Daemon Primarch Angron and his elite guard of 12 Khornate daemons, the Cruor Praetoria. Grimnar, who as Chapter Master was aware of the Grey Knights' existence, asked for the Chapter's help against this daemonic horde. A hastily mustered ad hoc Brotherhood of Grey Knights, along with other Inquisition forces and as many as 30 Inquisitors, made swift passage to Armageddon in order to join the ultimately victorious fight. The Inquisition task force was under the overall command of Lord Inquisitor Ghesmei Kysnaros, an Inquisitor Lord of mysterious origins who was unaligned with any of the existing Inquisition Ordos. On the banks of the mile-wide River Chaeron the Space Wolves and Steel Legion made their stand. Logan proved his leadership time and again, turning back the Chaos host and holding together the armies of the Imperium by force of will. When the World Eaters and their daemonic allies broke upon the banks of the Chaeron, Angron turned east and personally led an assault toward the Helsreach and Infernus hives, twelve Bloodthirsters formed a bodyguard around the Daemon Primarch. Here Logan showed not just his fearlessness in battle, but also his wisdom. Whereas many other Wolf Lords would have struck Angron head on, hungry for personal glory and the thrill of battle, Logan knew that courage and steel would not be enough. Just before the Space Wolves attacked, the Great Wolf let out a piercing howl. Responding to his pre-planned signal an entire brotherhood of Grey Knight Terminators teleported into the midst of Angron and his Bloodthirsters, the psychic warriors turning the tide in the Imperium's favour. In addition to defeating the threat posed by the Forces of Chaos on Armageddon, the Inquisition was there to guarantee that sensitive information regarding the existence and nature of the Archenemy, and the existence of the secret Imperial assets arraigned against it -- the Grey Knights in particular -- would not spread beyond the planet into the wider galaxy, where it could increase the chance of Chaotic corruption amongst the teeming masses of Mankind. The suppression of these truths is a basic element of the Inquisition's mandate concerning the Imperium's eternal fight against Chaos, and often involves brutal and indiscriminate purges, where Imperial citizens are liable to be executed on mere suspicion, and whole worlds subjected to the horror of the Exterminatus. The Axe Morkai Logan Grimnar's weapon is a trophy of war, prised from the cold dead hands of a powerful champion of the Dark Gods. It was upon the battlefields of Armageddon that the Great Wolf won his fabled axe, amid the blood and fire of the battle on the banks of the River Chaeron. After hours of bitter fighting, the river ran red with blood and the bodies of Cultists and traitor Guardsmen were piled high. World Eaters Chaos Space Marines attempted to cross the river in baroque armoured barges or over bridges melded from the bodies of screaming slaves, the traitors charging across the flesh-structures to reach the Space Wolves. Seeing a chance to turn the tide of battle, Logan Grimnar led his Wolf Guard down into the gore-clouded water to meet the berserk warriors of Khorne head-on. The Chaos Champion Akor Doomflayer charged out of the ranks of the World Eaters, his rune-encrusted axe cutting down two of Grimnar's Wolf Guard in the span of a few moments. Suddenly the Great Wolf found himself fighting for his life, Doomflayer's insane fury pushing him back toward the Imperium's defensive line. With an incoherent cry the Khornate Champion struck the flat of Grimnar's Frost Blade, shattering it into a million glittering shards. Doomflayer's moment of triumph was also his last, as the Great Wolf lunged inside his executioner's swing, ripping off his skull-faced helm with a clawed hand and sinking his fangs into the exposed throat underneath. As Doomflayer fell into the bloody river Grimnar snatched up his opponent's crimson-steel axe, cutting a path back to his Wolf Guard through knots of homicidal Khornate Berserkers. For the rest of the campaign on Armageddon Logan fought with the axe, and upon his return to Fenris he had it reforged, dubbing it the Axe Morkai. Aftermath The first indication that there were going to be problems with the Inquisition's post-war plans was revealed months before the end of the war, in the first meeting of Logan Grimnar with the newly arrived Inquisitorial task force. Although he knew that the Inquisition would have to suppress the truth of the war after it was over, Grimnar made clear that he did not wish it to carry out the usual suppression campaign. As there was already mistrust and suspicion of the Space Wolves within the Imperial hierarchy over past disputes and the Space Wolves' habit of disregarding Imperial authority, Grimnar's demand seemed either naive or an excuse for a fight, while his manner was condescending towards the Inquisitors. However, in truth Grimnar was genuinely sympathetic to the human element on Armageddon, and questioned the wisdom of saving a planet if its inhabitants and defenders would then have to be "processed" by the Inquisition for the sin of knowing about the existence of Chaos or the secret Imperial organisations arrayed against it. Grimnar had specifically structured the planet's defence and use of the Grey Knights in order to minimise the chances of the remaining civilian population accidentally finding out the truth behind the war and the nature of the daemonic. This strategy to protect the civilians guaranteed "catastrophic casualties" amongst the defenders, both Astartes and mortal humans alike. The Inquisition was not moved, nor did it deviate from its position that it was by law and the Emperor's decree the ultimate arbiter of what was right for the Imperium and Mankind. The truth of Chaos and the existence of the daemonic had to be contained and prevented from spreading into the wider galaxy where it would cause only more suffering. It was far better to sacrifice millions than have to exterminate billions, as had happened in the aftermath of the Horus Heresy. In practical terms, it made sense to the Inquisition to contain the situation on the planet itself, as this would affect a relatively small number of Imperial citizens compared to the damage control that would have to take place if any escaped the planet to spread Chaotic corruption elsewhere. The Armageddon Containment was the result of a majority vote by a conclave of the Inquisitors on duty at the planet, and would entail several directives, including the sterilisation (to prevent Chaotic mutations from being passed on) and quarantine of the entire surviving civilian population of Armageddon in Adeptus Arbites work-camps scattered across the galaxy. This was decided even though that population was generally considered untainted, and had no knowledge of the truths behind the war. A similar fate, or even outright liquidation, awaited the human defenders of the Armageddon Steel Legion and the Armageddon Planetary Defence Forces, who had valiantly faced the Chaotic hordes that had invaded the Hive World. The use of Exterminatus against the world in order to keep the secret of Chaos' existence was not an option: the industrial capacity of the planet was too important to the Imperium and the defence of the Segmentum Solar to be destroyed. Containment Lord Kysnaros, as the ranking Inquisitor present, had overall command of the Armageddon containment mission from his flagship, the commandeered Imperial Navy Battlecruiser Corel's Hope. His attitude to the Armageddon purge was typical of the Inquisition's pragmatic and calculating position: better to sterilise or kill millions on suspicions of Chaotic taint, than to have to eventually kill billions in order to prevent the possibility of taint from spreading. As the war was winding down, over the objections of Grimnar (which were broadcast to all Imperial forces), he ordered the start of the first phase: Inquisitorial Storm Troopers began to evacuate the remaining hive cities and to herd the population into camps for "vaccinations" -- in reality, sterilisation by injection. The civilians were told that the evacuation was a "temporary security measure." The planet's human defenders, including at least one million Imperial Guardsmen who arrived for mop-up operations after Angron had been banished, were ordered into barracks pending their own "processing." The Space Wolves on the surface engaged in only minor disruptions -- as they were clearly overmatched on the ground by the more than 100,000 Inquisitorial Storm Troopers and other Inquisition forces. However, they had the advantage in space, with 16 starships present to the Inquisition's 12. Additionally the Space Wolves' ships were generally bigger, better armoured, and better armed. Grimnar's plan was to help the human defenders and civilians of Armageddon escape the Inquisition by making sure their transports safely jumped into the Warp at the first opportunity. Twenty such transports were already waiting for their human cargoes above the planet. Months of Shame Soon, the first such transport, the Trident of Ilmatha, loaded mostly with defenders but also with civilians, was en route to the Armageddon System's Warp jump-point, escorted by the Space Wolves frigate Runefyre. The ship never made the Warp jump, as its Warp-Drive was disabled by the Grey Knights Frigate Karabela which then proceeded to scuttle the ship; there were no survivors among the Trident's 400,000 passengers. These were the first shots and the first casualties of the internecine war that followed. For their part, the Space Wolves did not retaliate against the firing vessel. Grimnar wanted to see whether the Inquisition would actually go ahead with its plans -- one of the many miscalculations that occurred on both sides. Following this episode, Grimnar ordered all the remaining loaded transports to make orbit at the same time, each protected by Space Wolves vessels who put themselves in the Inquisition ships' line of fire with orders not to fire back under any circumstance. Using this strategy, at least some of the transports would safely make it to the system's Warp jump-points. Kysnaros, who had tried to reason with Grimnar in an exchange that descended into insults and terrible threats, countered by ordering his fleet to fire at the interfering Space Wolves Escorts, as well as targeting the troop transports. However, as Inquisitorial ships opened fire and before Kysnaros' order could be completed, Space Wolves reinforcements lead by the Battle Barge Gylfarheim translated into the system, presenting the Inquisition with overwhelming Space Wolves naval superiority. A triumphant Grimnar then bade Kysnaros to call off the attack and the chase, which the Inquisitor Lord had no option but to do. The majority of the troop transports carrying Armageddon's survivors had survived the brief engagement. Escorted by Space Wolves vessels, they then safely translated into the Warp. The Purges With several witness-bearing transports now safely out of the system, the Inquisition initiated the appropriate contingency. In addition to the transports and their escorting Space Wolves vessels, every person, installation, or world that came into contact with Armageddon escapees, even in the most temporary and fleeting manner, was now liable to be "cleansed" by the Inquisition. Kysnaros apparently had an extraordinary cross-Sector mandate and freedom of action, as his armada ranged far and wide, raining death on anyone or anything whose misfortune was to have crossed paths with Armageddon survivors. Exterminatus was carried out on several worlds, including the planet Tybult, virus-bombed by the specially rearmed Corel's Hope. The planet's fate was sealed when an Armageddon transport briefly stopped at the world's orbiting space docks for supplies. A number of Grey Knights vessels, some veterans of Armageddon and others who had joined Kysnaros' growing armada during the Containment, were also involved. Among them was the Battle Barge Fire of Dawn, the flagship of the 8th Brotherhood of Grey Knights commanded by Grand Master Joros, which also carried out Exterminatus missions during the campaign. Lord Joros was leading the Grey Knights force attached to Kysnaros' armada. This was another ad hoc Brotherhood-strength contingent, steadily increasing in numbers, that joined the Containment campaign after the Armageddon war, along with the few Grey Knights who survived it. Joros became Kysnaros' principal advisor in the interactions with the Space Wolves, as the latter had no experience in dealing with Astartes. Joros advised in favour of appealing to the Space Wolves' instincts as they respected strength and boldness above all. As such, Joros explained that the Inquisition should meet Space Wolves Astartes, at all times, from a position of strength. Overwhelming force and steadfastness of purpose were proposed as the cornerstones of the strategy to be followed, which Kysnaros readily accepted. For their part the Space Wolves, following Grimnar's commands, were engaged in an increasingly successful cat-and-mouse game with the Inquisitorial containment forces. Notwithstanding their losses to the containment fleet, they managed to spirit away several Armageddon transports, safely dispersing their human cargoes in a variety of far-flung star systems. Dissent Within the Inquisitorial containment armada itself, dissent was building over both the scope and scale of the purges, and the violent actions against the Space Wolves -- which in every case went unanswered by them. Some Inquisitors were against the purges from the start, and had voted so in the Armageddon Conclave; the continuing campaign added to their frustration. Increasingly vocal amongst the dissenters was the Fenrisian Inquisitor Annika Jarlsdottyr of the Ordo Malleus. The attached Grey Knights were also frustrated over the course of events, and the fact that they were being used outside of their mission parameters. It was they who provided the campaign with its unofficial moniker as the "Months of Shame." In the dissenters' eyes, the situation was made worse by the fact that Logan Grimnar, even if misguided, seemed to hold the high moral ground, as the Space Wolves never fired back during hostilities. At least some of the dissent was fuelled by the mystery surrounding Kysnaros, and by his aloofness. He was a secretive and inscrutable figure, even to other members of the Inquisition. No reliable information was known of his past prior to his involvement in the First War for Armageddon and the containment campaign that followed. The mystery was enhanced by another unusual fact: Kysnaros was an Unaligned Inquisitor Lord, working outside of the existing Ordos of the Inquisition, and leaving no evidence trail available to them. Unlike other Inquisitor Lords, he had no retinue or servants, and seemed to keep his own counsel. His stature and authority were diminished in the eyes of his detractors by his apparent youthfulness, as extensive rejuvenat treatments made him look like a young man in his 20's. Yet the mandate entrusted him by his unknown masters seemed to be absolute. Death of Joros Five months after the containment campaign begun, its cost was rising and its effectiveness diminishing, with no end in sight. As the campaign stretched into months, Grand Master Joros proposed that the Inquisition capture Grimnar. In his opinion, this would result in the Chapter's capitulation, and Kysnaros readily authorised a plan. As part of the plan, Kysnaros asked for a parlay with Grimnar, to which the latter agreed. The opponents decided to meet (with weapons and shields down) in Haikaran, a neutral star system. Kysnaros' mistrust of the Space Wolves was a match for Grimnar's mistrust of the Inquisition. The Inquisitor Lord knew that in similar previous situations the Space Wolves had misled and waylaid Imperial servants: he was not going to allow the Space Wolves to surprise him, and he called the containment fleet to Haikaran. As soon as the Space Wolves parlay flotilla, consisting of Grimnar's flagship, the Strike Cruiser Scramaseax, and four Escorts, translated into Haikaran realspace, the already assembled and waiting Inquisition force opened fire. The four Space Wolves Escort vessels were destroyed with all hands, while the Scramaseax was heavily damaged. Kysnaros then "invited" Grimnar to meet with him and discuss his surrender, the end of the conflict, and the reintegration of the Space Wolves into the Imperial hierarchy. Grimnar agreed, or pretended to. He and his three remaining Wolf Guard members travelled to the Fire of Dawn where all the Inquisitors under Kysnaros were present, accompanied by their retinues. Also present was the entire Grey Knights detachment, lead by Lord Joros. Kysnaros tried to explain the reasons behind his betrayal of the terms of parlay, and offered the Space Wolves peace in exchange for their surrender, or endless and inevitably ruinous conflict for the Chapter if they did not. Grimnar however had not come to surrender or be captured -- but to find out who was responsible for violating the "sacred oath of armistice." Lord Joros admitted that he, with a heavy heart, had given the order to fire on the Space Wolves' vessels. In a blinding display of speed and ability, Grimnar killed Joros on the spot, cleaving into the Grand Master's breastplate and throat with his frost-axe Morkai, and ending the Grey Knight's life of service with a single crunching chop. As everyone on the Inquisition side prepared to open fire on Grimnar, Kysnaros ordered them to hold. Over Joros' body, he again tried to alternately appeal to, and then threaten, the Great Wolf. The latter was unmoved. He treated the Inquisitor Lord with disdain, and had correctly guessed the feelings of the Grey Knights towards the containment campaign. Then, as the Grey Knights tried to psychically block them from escaping by teleporting, the Space Wolves shot four of the Grey Knights Justicars who were focusing their collective psychic power, their deaths breaking the binding attempt. The Space Wolves then managed to teleport to the Scramaseax. Kysnaros, outplayed and forlorn over the episode and the Space Wolves' intractability, let the badly wounded vessel and its Astartes slip away into the void. Escalation After the failed parlay and attempt to capture Grimnar, the conflict intensified. In the months that followed, the Space Wolves no longer kept their wrath or their guns in check, and often actively engaged pursuing Armageddon containment forces, destroying several Inquisitorial and Grey Knights vessels. Among them was the Glaive of Janus, which had been the flagship of the Grey Knights' 1st Brotherhood for 10,000 standard years. It was lost along with its entire crew and its complement of over 50 Veteran Grey Knights. The Inquisition sought reinforcements, securing the support of the Red Hunters Space Marine Chapter, amongst others. The Red Hunters joined Kysnaros' armada with their entire Chapter fleet and strength, including the massive Battle Barge In Sacred Trust, under the command of Chapter Master Daemar. Kysnaros had sought the support of the Red Hunters, a Chapter that traditionally aligned itself with the Inquisition, as proof that the Space Wolves did not represent all the Astartes of the Imperium -- but also because he was unsure of the Grey Knights, some of whom were surreptitiously ignoring the developing campaign and were slow to join it. Casualties on both sides mounted as the armed engagements escalated. At the same time, the containment campaign was meeting with increasingly less success, even as the number of its victims reached into the billions. It was clear that the Armageddon containment was a failure: too many survivors had been dispersed to too many unknown destinations thanks to the Space Wolves' superior cunning and strategy. yet this remained a hollow victory, as it made the Chapter indirectly responsible for the deaths of even more innocents purged by the Inquisition. Among the Inquisition's dissenters, things were reaching a boiling point. A widespread conspiracy to assassinate Kysnaros, supported by ranking Inquisitors such as Jarlsdottyr and respected Grey Knights such as Hyperion, was taking shape amongst elements of the containment armada. It was the belief of the conspirators that only Kysnaros' death would stop the internecine conflict and prevent it from developing into a full-fledged Imperial civil war. Kysnaros, now often counseled by the more hard-line Red Hunters officers, had in the meantime installed surveillance Servo-skulls on the bridge of every starship in the Inquisitorial armada. As the conspirators' plans were gathering steam, Kysnaros finally tacitly admitted that his strategy had failed. In early 445.M41, after 8 months of campaigning, the Armageddon containment campaign was abandoned. Kysnaros announced a new approach: all containment assets were ordered at speed to Fenris, the Space Wolves' lightly defended homeworld. In an unprecedented, last ditch gambit, Kysnaros intended to hold the planet hostage in order to force Logan Grimnar to agree to the Inquisition's demands. These demands by now had nothing to do with Armageddon, and everything to do with limiting the independence and autonomy of the Space Wolves Chapter. Siege of Fenris Kysnaros' armada, including a multitude of Inquisition warships, Grey Knights vessels, and the entire Red Hunters Chapter fleet, arrived at Fenris and surrounded the planet in high orbit whilst targeting The Fang, the Space Wolves' famed fortress-monastery, for a devastating orbital bombardment. The planet was virtually undefended as the vast majority of the Space Wolves and their Chapter fleet were dispersed on missions across the galaxy. Kysnaros, directing operations from his flagship, again asked for a parlay with any ranking Space Wolf available, to which the few Space Wolves present agreed. Kysnaros asked the Grey Knight Hyperion (who commanded respect amongst the Space Wolves as the "Bladebreaker" for his role in defeating the Daemon Primarch Angron on Armageddon) and Inquisitor Jarlsdottyr to join him as representatives of the Grey Knights and the Inquisitorial Ordos, respectively. Kysnaros knew that Hyperion was for a time part of the conspiracy bent on his assassination, while Jarlsdottyr was open about her mistrust of the Inquisitor Lord -- however Kysnaros apparently wanted the best possible delegation in the parlay with the Space Wolves. The team soon arrived at The Fang for the meeting. The Space Wolves had awoken the Venerable Dreadnought Bjorn the Fell-Handed to deal with the Inquisitorial party. The ancient warrior, who had once fought beside the Primarch Leman Russ during the Great Crusade and the Horus Heresy, and had served as the first Great Wolf of the Chapter after Russ' disappearance, immediately received the unbidden respect and reverence of the Inquisitorial delegation, and was thought to be a more temperate and wiser representative for the Chapter than Logan Grimnar. Kysnaros asked for the Space Wolves' express obedience to Imperial authority and the chain of command, and a Penitent Crusade to be undertaken to expiate the Chapter's guilt for attacking the servants of the Inquisition. In exchange, the Inquisition and the Imperium at large would take no other action or censure against the Chapter. Bjorn was not impressed, countering that Kysnaros was asking a proud, storied Chapter that had served Mankind for millennia to kowtow to faceless bureaucrats, who ruled according to expedience rather than honour. Further, this was demanded whilst the Inquisition's orbital guns were locked on The Fang. He asked Kysnaros to make a more rigorous presentation of his case, but before the latter could start, and to everyone's surprise, the Space Wolves' Chapter fleet under the command of Logan Grimnar translated from the Warp near Fenris -- the fleet had travelled at extraordinary speed and at the cost of its Rune Priests' lives to arrive in time. The negotiations abruptly ended, and the Inquisition delegation made haste to Corel's Hope. Following yet another short and fruitless exchange between the panicked Kysnaros and the snarling Grimnar over ship-to-ship Vox, an all-out close-quarters naval battle broke out above Fenris. Despite the presence of senior Imperial Navy officers from the Battlefleet Solar, Kysnaros took command of the Inquisitorial fleet from Corel's Hope's Strategium. His panicky state disappeared, and he exhibited remarkable calmness under pressure and intricate knowledge of large-scale, complex naval tactics. He ordered half of the Inquisition assets to commence conventional-only bombing of The Fang, whose defence batteries were already engaging his armada, whilst coordinating the maneuvers and targets of the other half of his ships. Upon detection of Space Wolves boarding torpedoes approaching his fleet, he ordered the Red Hunters to counter-board the Space Wolves vessels that had fired the torpedoes. While the battle was raging, Grimnar had the Scramaseax come abreast of the Corel's Hope, where the Astartes' vessel's superior shields, armour, and broadside proved deciding factors as the Corel's Hope's Void Shields failed first. Immediately, Grimnar and his Wolf Guard teleported from the Scramaseax to the bridge of the Inquisitorial Battlecruiser. As the Wolf Guard caused mayhem on the bridge, Grimnar sprinted towards the command throne, where Kysnaros stood. Despite resistance by Hyperion and one other Grey Knight, and the assistance of Inquisitor Jarlsdottyr, the Great Wolf quickly reached the Inquisitor Lord. Kysnaros was unarmed, yet he was a powerful psyker with telekinetic abilities. However, either he did not care to defend himself, or he did not have time to react given the Great Wolf's speed and ferocity, for Grimnar, in one swift move, unceremoniously decapitated the Inquisitor Lord. Kysnaros' death was not enough to placate the enraged Space Wolves who continued their rampage, until shortly afterwards Bjorn the Fell-Handed teleported to the bridge of Corel's Hope and bade everyone to "stop this madness." Thanks to his timely intervention and mediation, the battle ended and a truce was sought amongst the combatants. Uneasy Peace Bjorn told Grimnar to immediately cease hostilities and to find a compromise with the Inquisition and the Imperium. He addressed Jarlsdottyr and Hyperion, as the ranking representatives of the Inquisition present, and stated that no Inquisition ship should ever again appear over Fenris; also that the Space Wolves who had learned of the Grey Knights should not be mind-wiped as was normal in such cases, but instead Hyperion should personally explain the Grey Knights' mission and its importance to all of the Astartes within The Fang, so that such a conflict should never again occur due to misunderstanding and ignorance of the Inquisition's mission. The combatants reluctantly accepted the terms, and the siege of Fenris ended. However the terms of the truce were only accepted out of necessity by both sides. The losses of the Space Wolves were extensive: during the 8-month engagement their Chapter fleet was decimated, many thousands of their Chapter Serfs or Thralls had perished, and large numbers of Astartes were dead or disabled. During the siege, The Fang was damaged even more severely than during Magnus the Red's attack in the 32nd Millennium. As many as four Imperial vessels had crashed into the massive fortress-monastery itself, while the orbital bombardment had caused even more crippling damage. The Space Wolves' losses were mirrored by the Inquisition. The Grey Knights specifically suffered serious casualties, with several of the Chapter's starships lost, as well as a Brotherhood-strength contingent of irreplaceable Astartes. The casualties came on the heels of the First War for Armageddon campaign which had already cost both sides dearly. Even more damaging were the unspoken repercussions: the almost total breakdown of trust between the Space Wolves and Imperial authorities, especially the Inquisition; the second-guessing of their Inquisitorial masters by some Grey Knights and the obvious reluctance of others to join Kysnaros' containment campaign. However, despite the dissent within his ranks, Kysnaros was not a rogue operative. He summoned a large number of Inquisitors, and an entire Chapter of Space Marines with their fleet. He prosecuted an 8-month violent campaign against a celebrated Loyalist First Founding Chapter of Space Marines, and had exclusive call on a Brotherhood-strength force of Grey Knights, using them clearly outside of their anti-daemon mission parameters. Kysnaros' mandate was coming from the higher echelons of the Inquisition, as was made obvious during the discussion of the truce terms among the assembled Inquisitors over Fenris. The Inquisitors had no choice but to accept the truce, yet they immediately started to ponder ways of bringing the Space Wolves to heel, going as far as to consider manipulation of the Chapter's gene-seed. The Space Wolves also had no illusions: the Inquisition was not going to leave them in peace. Even as the last Inquisition vessel was departing Fenris, Grimnar and the remnants of the Chapter were preparing for the next round of their conflict with the Imperium's secret police. 13th Black Crusade During Abaddon's 13th Black Crusade, Logan Grimnar was selected as the supreme commander for the defending Imperial forces of the Cadian Gate. Under his command, many key victories by the Imperial forces were won. If it were not for his leadership, more of Cadia would have been lost to the Forces of Chaos. The Space Wolves and the Dark Angels appeared to set aside their ancient vendetta long enough for the Great Wolf and Supreme Grand Master Azrael to come to a mutual, but temporary, understanding. The two Chapters took to the field together, intent upon proving to the Archenemy that the combined forces of the Space Wolves and the Dark Angels Chapters were far greater than the sum of their parts. The exact circumstances and details of this arrangement have been kept from all who were not members of either Chapter. Both Chapters took to the field together in the defence of Kasr Tyrok upon the world of Cadia against a substantial force of Chaos Mutants. The combined force of Space Wolves and Dark Angels smashed into the rear of the mutant mob, cutting them down without mercy, and each Chapter's Astartes sought to outdo the other in their skill at arms. As the last few mutants were dispatched, the Chapter's friendly banter soon turned less comradely, and insults filled the air. Victory had been achieved, but the Sons of Russ and the Sons of the Lion soon parted ways, their long-time rivalry rearing its ugly head once again. Grimnar's Elite Grimnar's Kingsguard , the Kingsguard]] Each Wolf Lord maintains a cadre of elite Wolf Guard, comprising the very finest of the warriors under his command. Logan Grimnar is no exception, and maintains perhaps the largest Wolf Guard of all the Wolf Lords, counting among its number many of the greatest warriors in the entire Chapter. Unlike the Codex Chapters, the elite of the Space Wolves are not always chosen from those warriors who have served longest, or earned the title of veteran. Rather, they are selected for their bravery and skill at arms, having drawn the attention of their lord through glorious deeds and unflinching loyalty. Logan's Wolf Guard is so large that it is split into several smaller packs, many of which have earned great renown for their deeds, yet when they gather for war at the Great Wolf's side they are collectively known as the Kingsguard. These Champions of Fenris are always at the Great Wolf's call, accompanying him into every battle and commanding his armies when the needs of war call him away. Grimnar’s Kingsguard defend him with their lives, and slay without mercy those who would raise blades against the master of the Space Wolves. They are the shield and sword of the Great Wolf, fending off enemy attacks before landing the killing blow. To face the Kingsguard of Fenris in battle is to face death itself. The howling warriors fall upon their opponents like the wolves of their home world, tearing flesh with their fangs and wreaking destruction with their great wolf claws. Daggerfist's Void Claws The Void Claws are Logan Grimnar's favoured boarding troops, their fearsome wolf claws deadly in the close quarters of ship corridors and chambers. Those Wolf Guard that choose this way of war favour close combat even more than many of their brothers, and revel in the fierce joy of sinking their claws into their foes' flesh. *'Torfin Daggerfist' - Torfin Daggerfist has carved out a bloody legend for himself among Logan Grimnar's Wolf Guard. Blood Claws swap stories of how Torfin once single-handedly slew a massive Ork Squiggoth. When the beast rampaged through his Wolf Guard he thrust his claws into its hide and began hacking away at its heart. A gore-soaked mile later, the story goes, the creature finally collapsed and Torfin got to his feet covered in its blood. Such is Grimnar's trust in Daggerfist that the Wolf Guard is often given command of detachments in the Great Wolf's absence, and bears the banner of the Great Wolf. *'Alrik Doom-Seeker' - Void Claws are often chosen for their recklessness as much as their skill at arms. Alrik Doom-seeker embodies a measure of this wild bravery, hurling himself across the void between closing warships or charging out across the burning hull of a cruiser. In these chaotic space battles, the Void Claws will often find their battlefield bereft of atmosphere or gravity. In these instances their claws may come to the fore, something Alrik has proven more than once, anchoring and dragging himself along with his wolf claws to get at his enemies. *'Hagrik Wyrdfang' - It seems that the wolf gods of Fenris may well have blessed Hagrik Wyrdfang, such is the luck that surrounds him. During the battle for the scrap world of Tyrbor XV, when Orks triggered an avalanche of debris upon Hagrik's squad he somehow escaped harm, rising out of the wreckage to tear apart the barbaric xenos. Likewise when his boarding torpedo was cut down by turret fire Hagrik somehow leapt free, crashing into the hull of the enemy vessel and using his claws to cut his way inside. *'Kvarl Hammerfist' - When he lost his hands to a Tyranid Warrior, Kvarl did not even scream out, but merely growled in rage before cracking the thing's skull open with a thunderous headbutt. Since that battle, his replacement augmetic hands have come in useful on numerous occasions, and work just as well when encased by his wolf claws. However, the Wolf Guard often underestimates the strength of his prosthetics, and has a healthy pile of crushed tankards, broken weapon hilts and bruised battle-brothers to show for it. *'Leifvar Twice-Slain' - Leifvar Twice-Slain has a reputation for stubbornly refusing to die. The first time he was thought dead was when the Chaos Lord Krag'kar impaled Leifvar upon the prow of his corrupted Land Raider as a trophy. Much to Krag'kar's surprise, when Leifvar recovered consciousness he pulled himself free and destroyed both tank and the renegade. The second time Leifvar was presumed killed was when his ship was destroyed. Leifvar was found drifting in the void amidst the debris, still alive within his frost-covered Power Armour. Saga of the Great Wolf Few warriors have lived as long as Logan Grimnar or gathered such glory and honour to their name. Across seven centuries of war, blood and strife the Great Wolf has fought for the Space Wolves against the innumerable foes of the Imperium. His is a saga worthy of the ages that will linger in the minds and hearts of his brothers long after he has passed into legend: *'The Shadows of Russ (313.M41)' - The Sky Warriors see greatness in the young Fenrisian warrior Logan Grimnar. A Wolf Priest follows the exploits of the young warrior and the Iron Blood tribe to which he belongs, as Logan fights across the freezing oceans of Fenris. During the Sea of Blades, a host of tribes descend upon the Kraken’s Spur to do battle, and the Wolf Priest witnesses the shadow of Leman Russ lingering in the wake of young Grimnar. A potent sign of the Primarch's favour, it is all that the priest needs to induct Logan into the fabled Sky Warriors. *'The Bloody Crescent (357.M41)' - Quickly earning a place in the Great Company of Asvald Stormwrack, Logan Grimnar rises to the rank of Grey Hunter. At the battle of Blood Falls, on the broken world of Hesperia, Logan saves the Wolf Lord's life when the latter is trapped under the mangled wreck of a Helbrute. Logan alone is able to reach Asvald, standing over the broken Chaos machine for long minutes, single-handedly holding back the Chaos Space Marine Renegades of the Bloody Crescent. For the Grey Hunter's bravery, Asvald inducts Logan into his Wolf Guard. *'Asvald's Final Battle (415.M41)' - Asvald Stormwrack meets his end during the war for the Cyclopean Rift on Zylor IX. For over a decade Asvald's Great Company has fought against the pale Orks of the Rift. The Ork Warboss Dakfang leads constant attacks up into the sublevels of the great hive cities of Zylor from the rifts below. Finally, Dakfang and Asvald face each other on the bridge-maze under Zylor Primus, the two warlords mortally wounding each other before plummeting into the dark below. With the death of Asvald, Logan Grimnar is named Wolf Lord, taking command of the Great Company. *'Mantle of the Great Wolf (440.M41)' - Logan Grimnar quickly earns the respect of his fellow Wolf Lords, despite many being centuries older than him. When, on the battlefields of Xor, a Dark Eldar Succubus murders the reigning Great Wolf Sigvald Grimhammer, Ulrik puts Logan’s name forward as his successor. Amazingly there is no resistance to Logan's ascension, and when the runestones are counted every vote has been cast in Grimnar's favour. *'First War for Armageddon (444.M41)' - The World Eaters invade the Hive World of Armageddon alongside a vast daemonic host led by none other than the Daemon Primarch Angron. The newly elected Great Wolf, Logan Grimnar, leads the Space Wolves to the planet's defence, arriving just in time to halt the onslaught of Khorne's minions. In a final cataclysmic battle, the World Eaters are thrown back from the hastily-prepared Imperial defences and defeated. Angron and his bodyguard of twelve Bloodthirsters of Khorne are banished back to the Warp by the combined efforts of an entire Brotherhood (company) of Grey Knights Terminators, though over ninety are slain in the act. **'The Months of Shame (445-451)' - Not for the first time, the Space Wolves and the Inquisition come to blows. Logan Grimnar demands that the Inquisitorial forces put an immediate stop to the systematic purging of the Imperial Guard survivors that fought so bravely in defence of Armageddon. Only when Bjorn the Fell-Handed intervenes do the internecine hostilities cease. *'Uprising on Palacia (499.M41)' - Logan Grimnar proves his reputation as both a great warlord and respected leader during the Palacia Heresy. Taking command of the bickering Astra Militarum regiments, he puts an end to the systematic execution of the planet's population. Under the banner of his Great Company the loyalists rally, many cities thought lost to the Heresy proving their worth and turning on the traitors. Word soon spreads of the Great Wolf's victory, but also of the fair and just way in which he treated the people of Palacia. *'Well of Darkness (539.M41)' - Logan Grimnar leads the purge of the Space Hulk Well of Darkness as it drifts past Fenris, his Wolf Guard Terminators cleansing it of alien horrors. During the fighting the Great Wolf falls through a weakened section of deck, plunging down a dozen levels and becoming hopelessly separated from his battle-brothers. When he returns to them days later, he is covered in alien ichor and filth from countless kills, a savage grin upon his face. *'War of the Wolf (612.M41)' - Logan Grimnar learns of the location of a Wolf Brother Space Marine, one of the long-lost members of the Space Wolves' only successor Chapter. The Great Wolf leads his Champions of Fenris to rescue the battle-brother from the clutches of the Black Legion, before the arch-traitor Fabius Bile can use him for some nefarious experiment. *'The Stench of Chaos (741.M41)' - Logan Grimnar travels to the besieged world of Vara III to break the deadlock between the Imperium and the separatist forces under Planetary Governor Tor Rex. The Great Wolf quickly realises all is not as it seems and orchestrates a council between Tor Rex and the forces of the Imperium. In respect for Grimnar, Rex attends but is quickly set upon by the incumbent Imperial commander Keel. Logan catches the scent of Chaos upon Keel and realises the Imperial forces on Vara III are under the thrall of the Dark Gods, while Rex remains loyal to the Imperium. The Great Wolf personally rips Keel's head from his shoulders and in just a few bloody weeks the Space Wolves hunt down and kill every heretic within the fleet, bringing an end to the war. *'Scouring of Gnosis Secundus (787.M41)' - In response to the Eldar invasion of Gnosis Prime the Space Wolves are dispatched to defend the planet. Unfortunately they are blown off course by a Warp storm and arrive a year too late. Unable to save the people of Gnosis Prime, Logan Grimnar heads to Gnosis Secundus seeking revenge against the Saim-Hann Eldar still in-system. *'The Scrapshire Incursion (830.M41)' - Logan Grimnar leads a rescue mission to recover a priceless Standard Template Construct (STC) from the wreckage of the downed Adeptus Mechanicus vessel Eternal Iron. The ship has crashed on the Ork world of Scrapspire, a dumping ground for rubbish from across the sector. On a sea of scrap metal the Space Wolves fight their way into the great city of the Ork Warboss Krugfist, finally reaching his treasure vaults and recovering the STC. In the fray Grimnar hacks Krugfist's mechanical Power Klaw from his arm, taking it with him as a trophy. *'The Ecclesiarchy Comes to Fenris (886.M41)' - A delegation of Ecclesiarchy officials approaches Fenris, intending to assess the Space Wolves after hearing rumours of their worship of false gods. Logan Grimnar refuses to meet their demands when they command him to open the gates of the Fang and undergo interrogation. Foolishly, the Ecclesiarchy decide to press the matter and when their envoy cruiser is destroyed trying to dock with the Fang the rest of the Ministorum officials retreat, finally realising the Great Wolf is not be trifled with. However, it is not a lesson learned, and almost a year later the Ecclesiarchy and three orders of the Adepta Sororitas attempt to enter Fenrisian space in force. The resultant war lasts for three weeks before the Ecclesiarchy decides to let sleeping dogs lie and withdraws its forces. *'The 30th Great Hunt (900.M41)' - The Great Wolf leads the 30th Great Hunt to find the Chapter's lost Primarch, Leman Russ. For over a decade Logan Grimnar's Great Company and scores of the Space Wolves' mightiest warriors travel the void, having bloody adventures and fighting glorious battles. While no definitive clues to the whereabouts of Russ are uncovered, the Great Hunt sees a host of threats to the Imperium destroyed and many more quelled before they can grow to become a danger. *'Battle for Midgardia (933.M41)' - A Necron fleet led by Trazyn the Infinite descends upon the world of Midgardia in the Fenris System. The Overlord seeks a shard of the C'tan Nyadra'zatha that slumbers in the core of the Fenrisian planet. Angered by the audacity of his foes, Logan Grimnar leads a huge force against the Necrons, turning the toxic jungles and subterranean cities of Midgardia into a bitter and brutal warzone. *'The Abomination of Cyriax (954.M41)' - Legends come to life in the underhive as, deep in the night-shrouded bowels of Hive Necros, something huge and terrible stirs within the stygian darkness. Though it kills hundreds of underhive dwellers over several nightmarish months, the call for help is only issued when a member of the hive's aristocracy is messily devoured. Logan Grimnar bids his elite Thunderwolf Cavalry mount up and hunt the much-feared Abomination of Cyriax until death. The myth of giant warriors riding metal-skinned wolf-daemons soon spreads across the entire planet. *'Murderfang's Rampage (960.M41)' - On the hell world of Omnicide, Logan Grimnar's Great Company stumbles upon a feral Space Wolf Dreadnought carving its way through a force of Chaos Space Marines. After a fierce struggle, the murderous machine is captured and frozen in stasis, before being taken back to The Fang for study. *'War of Infamy (962.M41)' - When the Tau raid Imperial ship yards at Ethron's Harbour, destroying numerous escort vessels and crippling the battleship Pretorius Rex, Logan Grimnar's Great Company lead a retributive strike against the nearest Tau outpost world. Taking advantage of a localised Warp anomaly to cross the sector in a matter of hours, the Space Wolves fall upon the unsuspecting Tau even as they refuel and recover from their raid. Though the battle is brutal and bloody, costing the Space Wolves dozens of their battle-brothers, the Great Wolf is determined to send a clear message to the Tau and leaves no survivors. *'The Hungering Void (972.M41)' - Logan Grimnar's Great Company chance upon a Tyranid splinter fleet deep within the void. Not content to leave the Tyranids to continue on their path deeper into the Imperium –- even though they are still centuries from the nearest system at sub-light speeds –- the Great Wolf launches an assault. Focusing on the hive ship in the centre of the cluster, Grimnar leads a boarding party to plant a powerful vortex mine in the beast’s synaptic core. The Wolf Guard fight their way through the nightmarish body of the beast as it awakens around them, disgorging thousands of Tyranid organisms to devour them. Finally, Grimnar is able to plant the charge and escape, detonating it even as his Stormwolf lifts off. With the hive ship destroyed, the Space Wolves eradicate the remaining disorganised and scattered Tyranid vessels with ease. *'Riders of the Storm (988.M41)' - Logan Grimnar, majestic atop his chariot, Stormrider, leads his Great Company in the charge that finally breaks the Necron phalanxes of Imotekh the Stormlord on Vhaloth IV. Though a great victory over the Necrons, it is a hollow one for the Great Wolf, as the hunt that brought him to Vhaloth IV was intended to locate Trazyn the Infinite to deliver retribution for the attack on Midgardia. *'The Third War for Armageddon (998.M41)' - With his presence needed elsewhere, Logan Grimnar sends five Great Companies to Armageddon to join the Imperial forces hastily gathering there to combat the second, even larger invasion of Warlord Ghazghkull Thraka's Ork WAAAGH!. *'The Battle for Alaric Prime (998.M41)' - After the destruction of the Magnir's Revenge, the Great Wolf himself leads the Sons of Russ to the Sanctus Reach, only to dive headlong into battle on the beleaguered Knight World of Alaric Prime against Ork Warlord Grukk face-Rippa's Red WAAAGH!. *'The 13th Black Crusade (999.M41)' - Abaddon the Despoiler launches his 13th, and Imperial strategists fear his greatest, Black Crusade. The Cadian Gate is attacked on a system-wide front. Sensing a great and terrible destiny, Logan Grimnar musters the entire fighting strength of his Chapter and sets forth without delay. Upon his arrival, the Old Wolf assumes the mantle of Supreme Commander of the Imperium's forces and prepares for what threatens to be the deadliest war since the Horus Heresy. Heraldry When he became a Wolf Lord, Logan Grimnar chose the emblem of the Night Runner as the sigil of his Great Company. When, years later, he was elected Great Wolf of the Chapter, he and most of his warriors adopted the badge of Leman Russ himself as their Great Company marking, as is the right of the Master of the Chapter and his household warriors. Yet some amongst the Champions of Fenris still bear the badge of the Night Runner upon their armour and wargear, a mark of honour signifying centuries in Logan Grimnar's service. The Wolf That Stalks Between Stars The badge of the Great Wolf represents Leman Russ, the Great Grey Wolf. Unlike the emblems of the Great Companies, the Great Wolf's emblem is always the same. This is the "Wolf That Stalks Between The Stars"; the ancient badge of Leman Russ himself and the symbol proudly emblazoned on the Chapter's banner. This symbol is carried with honour by every Great Wolf. It represents the void-faring nature of the Chapter, who sail across the stars as their ancestors still sail across the seas of Fenris. Wargear *'Terminator Armour' - Logan wears an ornate suit of master-crafted Terminator Armour. *'Wolf Pelts' - Fenrisian Wolves are renowned across the galaxy for their viciousness. They are respected creatures, and greatly entwined with Space Wolf beliefs. Unarmed hunting rituals exist on Fenris to prove a warrior's prowess. Should a Battle-Brother succeed on such a hunt, he typically displays the pelt of the animal thereafter. Upon the back of Grimnar's Terminator Armour is the enormous pelt of a great Fenrisian Wolf that he slew in his youth, and which he has worn with pride ever since. *'Wolf Tooth Necklace' - Created from the teeth of Fenrisian Wolves, a Wolf Tooth Necklace is reputed to grant the wearer strength and ferocity in combat like that of the wolf it was taken from. Whether or not there is any true power in such tokens (like those talismans crafted by the Chapter's Rune Priests) the effects on a Space Wolves Battle-Brother's morale and ferocity cannot be denied. *'Wolf Tail Talisman' *''Belt of Russ'' - Each Great Company has in its Armoury a single Belt of Russ. These are powerful girdles incorporating potent gravitic force fields that protect the wearer, similar in function to an Iron Halo. Forged by the master Iron Priest Stef Blacksoul after the disappearance of Russ, the belts are important relics of the Chapter. *'Wrist-Mounted Storm Bolter' *''Axe Morkai'' - This mighty weapon is borne into battle by the Great Wolf. The Axe Morkai is an ancient artefact, thrumming with the power of the Warp, a battlefield trophy taken from a defeated Chaos Champion by the Great Wolf himself. Grimnar had the Chapter's Iron Priests reforge the deadly axe into the likeness of the twin-headed wolf-god Morkai, the guardian of the gates of the afterlife in the myths of the people of the Space Wolves' homeworld, Fenris. *''Stormrider'' - Stormrider is an ornate war chariot held aloft by anti-grav gyrostabilisers. It has no means of self-propulsion, for it has ever been drawn forth by a pair of giant Thunderwolves since the time of Leman Russ. Power fields and runes of enchantment are wrought within the chariot's framework to protect both man and beast from incoming fire, enabling Stormrider to bear the Old Wolf into the heart of the enemy lines unscathed. Grimnar is amongst the Imperium's deadliest warriors, but when pulled by his Thunderwolves, Tyrnak and Fenrir, he is nigh unstoppable. Sources *''Champions of Fenris - A Codex: Space Wolves Supplement'' (7th Edition) *''Codex: Armageddon'' (3rd Edition) *''Codex: Eye of Terror'' (3rd Edition) *''Codex: Space Wolves'' (7th Edition), pp. 41, 46-47, 51, 63, 67-69, 79, 109, 123, 162, 199-201 *''Codex: Space Wolves'' (5th Edition), pp. 56, 72, 82 *''Codex: Space Wolves'' (3rd Edition), pg. 27 *''Codex: Space Wolves'' (2nd Edition), pg. 66 *''Epic: Armageddon'' (3rd Edition) *''Index Astartes II'', "Wolves of Fenris - The Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter" *''Warhammer 40,000: Rulebook'' (6th Edition), pg. 335 *''White Dwarf'' 280 (US), "Heroes & Villains of the 41st Millennium: Great Wolf Logan Grimnar *''White Dwarf'' 258 (US), "Wolves of Fenris: The Space Wolves Space Marine Chapter" *''White Dwarf'' 247 (US), "The Great Wolf: Wolf Lord Logan Grimnar", pp. 34-35 *''White Dwarf'' 156 (US), "The Space Wolves'', pp. 8-25 *''The Emperor's Gift (Novel) by Aaron Dembski-Bowden Category:L Category:G Category:Characters Category:Imperial Characters Category:Imperium Category:Space Marines Category:Space Wolves